Don't be left in the dark: children and young people's mental health

At least one in 10 children and young people are affected by mental health problems, and the unreported figures are likely to be even higher. Young people are increasingly struggling with problems like anxiety, depression and self-harm, with nearly 19,000 young people admitted to hospital after harming themselves in 2015 - a 14 per cent rise over three years. We are also just beginning to understand how the increasing prevalence of social media in young people’s lives is negatively impacting their emotional health.

This short guide provides an overview of the challenges facing mental health and wellbeing services for children and young people.